National Burden of Injury and Deaths From Shootings by Police in the United States, 2015‒2020.

Abstract

<b>Objectives.</b> To describe all-outcome injurious shootings by police and compare characteristics of fatal versus nonfatal injurious shootings nationally. <b>Methods.</b> From July 2021 to April 2023, we manually reviewed publicly available records on all 2015-2020 injurious shootings by US police, identified from Gun Violence Archive. We estimated injury frequency, case fatality rates, and relative odds of death by incident and victim characteristics. <b>Results.</b> A total of 1769 people were injured annually in shootings by police, 55% fatally. When a shooting injury occurred, odds of fatality were 46% higher following dispatched responses than police-initiated responses. Injuries associated with physically threatening or threat-making behaviors, behavioral health needs, and well-being checks were most frequently fatal. Relative to White victims, Black victims were overrepresented but had 35% lower odds of fatal injury when shot. <b>Conclusions.</b> This first multiyear, nationwide analysis of injurious shootings by US police suggests that injury disparities are underestimated by fatal shootings alone. Nonpolicing responses to social needs may prevent future injuries. <b>Public Health Implications.</b> We call for enhanced reporting systems, comprehensive evaluation of emerging reforms, and targeted investment in social services for equitable injury prevention. (<i>Am J Public Health.</i> 2024;114(4):387-397. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307560).